


[untitled]

by LtTanyaBoone



Category: Pan Am
Genre: Episode Tag, Friendship, Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-14
Updated: 2012-07-14
Packaged: 2017-11-15 08:31:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/525280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LtTanyaBoone/pseuds/LtTanyaBoone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Sometimes it is easier to hear warranted caution from someone who is not as close to you as your own sister."</p>
            </blockquote>





	[untitled]

**Disclaimers:** Pan Am, the rights to the show and its characters do not belong to me. No money was made by this.  
 **Spoilers:** tag to 1x08 "Truth or Dare"  
 **Pairing:** none, Colette Valois/Laura Cameron friendship

* * *

“I just don’t understand why she is making such a huge deal out of this!” Laura exclaimed after Colette’s arrival in the kitchen area put a stop to Kate’s lecture before it could even begin and the redhead went to take care of the sailors.

“She’s just worried about you.” Colette shrugged, pouring herself a glass of water and trying to catch her breath.

“I am adult!” the blond American muttered, stomping her foot and Colette bit her tongue not to remind her that she was definitely not acting like one.

“We know.” she said instead, watching Laura. “But after you behaving strangely last week, you drop this bomb on her and… she is Kate. She’s your older sister and she will always worry about you. And quite frankly, nude pictures weren’t at the top of the list of things I would consider you doing.”

Laura whirled around and crossed her arms, staring at the French stewardess. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Colette shrugged, grabbing a cracker. “Nothing.”

“Are you saying I’m a prude?” her colleague insisted. “Just because I don’t agree with your French views-”

“You better stop right there.” Colette warned her, an unfamiliar harshness in her brown eyes. “Aside from the fact that I am hardly as _‘French’_ as you all seem to think,” she told Laura sternly, recalling Maggie’s comment when she had revealed her affair from Rome to be married, “but out of everyone on this plane, I think I might be the one who understands you best right now.”

Laura opened and closed her mouth a few times before she deflated. She had never seen Colette react like this to anyone, not even drunk passengers who were close to crossing the line.

“I’m sorry.” she apologized, her voice small as she stared at her folded hands. Colette shook her head, taking a deep breath.

“Me, too.” she sighed, brushing her hair behind her ears. “I did not mean to get so defensive.”

“It’s okay, I was out of line.” the younger woman admitted, leaning against the counter. “But what do you mean, you are the one who understands me?” she wondered, watching Colette. Did she imagine things or was the older woman actually blushing?

“Nothing.” she shook her head, checking the pot of coffee and grabbing a tray so she could bring the pilots some.

“Colette.” Laura insisted, adding a little whine into her voice. Her best bet to make Kate tell her something was to be annoying, so her older sister ended up giving her what she wanted just to shut her up. Given how close in personality Kate and Colette had appeared to be in the beginning, Laura figured she might as well try that tactic.

“Okay, but you will not tell anyone about this, do you hear me?” the French woman whispered, checking that Kate and especially Maggie were occupied. Laura nodded eagerly, making a zipping motion at her lips. “When I was nineteen, I let a friend paint me.” Colette confessed.

“Oh.” Laura muttered, clearly disappointed. Until the look Colette gave her registered and she found herself blushing furiously. “Oh.” she breathed, her eyes widening in understanding. The other woman smiled to herself and shook her head lightly. “Why did you do it?” Laura suddenly asked and Colette sighed, shrugging.

“Same reason as you took nude photos, mostly. I had been raised by nuns and I wanted to embrace my sexuality. Plus, at the point when it happened, I was more than a little drunk.” she laughed at her colleagues shocked face.

“Did you… like it?” Laura frowned. Colette sighed, tilting her head.

“Yes. And no. It hardly made me feel liberated afterwards.” she frowned. “Though maybe that was more due to the style of the painting. My friend was a surrealist.”

Laura frowned, trying to imagine a surrealistic painting of a naked Colette and shaking her head quickly.

“Did you tell anyone about it?” she asked instead.

“He put it up in his gallery. I was hardly recognizable, so it did not really bother me that much.” Colette told her, turning back to Laura. “But it taught me that taking naked pictures with someone is one thing, or letting them paint you. But if you don’t have control over what happens with the product, this ‘act of liberation’ can become rather unpleasant.”

Laura quickly shook her head, almost sending her hat flying.

“Oh no, Graham’s a nice guy. He promised he wouldn’t show them to anyone.”

Colette searched her face before nodding. “Okay, if you trust him.” she allowed. “But perhaps you should try to get the negatives, nonetheless.”

The American sighed, giving a small nod. “Maybe.” she muttered, frowning at the increasing volume among the passengers. “Thank you. For not judging me.”

Colette gave her a soft smile. “Ah, _beauté_ , no one is judging you. If anything, I think Kate might be jealous.”

“Jealous? Of me?” Laura laughed, shaking her head. “I don’t think so.”

“Really? Well, I don’t think Kate has ever allowed herself to make such an impulsive decision.” Colette disagreed. Laura opened her mouth to respond when Kate was back, frowning slightly at her sister and her friend talking while she and Maggie were working their butts off.

“If you have a minute, the passenger right at the back would like a glass of rum. The one who told you to call him Joe?” Kate turned to her sister, who nodded and went to the bar to pour a glass for the man. Kate watched her leave and shook her head.

“You two have a nice break?” she asked Colette, who tilted her head slightly. She had noticed that something was off about her friend, but to have her be so short with her was new.

“Actually, we talked about the pictures.”

“Oh, please tell me you didn’t ask for the address. Because the last thing Laura needs is encouragement.”

“Funny, isn’t it? You run away from home to escape your parents and suddenly, you are the parent.” Colette responded pointedly. Kate opened her mouth but shut it quickly, closing her eyes for a second.

“You have no idea how she can be.” she said, taking out a basket for some croissants to give the sailors something to eat in hopes of shutting them up for a few moments.

“Ah, we have been flying together for a while.” her French friend pointed out, helping Kate. “And I was not encouraging her. But sometimes it is easier to hear warranted caution from someone who is not as close to you as your own sister.”

Kate drew a deep breath, looking at Colette.

“Thank you.” she muttered.

“Anything to avoid another ‘Tropic Storm’.” Colette winked at her, putting plates on the trolley and taking the first basket of bread to take it to the sailors, leaving Kate with the rest of the preparations.

_fin._


End file.
